Few Catholic chaplains served in the American Civil War;
Protestant chaplains outnumbered them twenty to one. Of forty or so
priests ministering as part of the Federal war effort, at any one
time never more than two dozen served the Union's estimated 200,000
Catholic soldiers (among them, 145,000 Irish). Consequently,
Catholic soldiers often had no access to the sacraments, especially
Holy Communion, confession, and—of particular importance during the
war—"last rites." Reasons for the dearth included demand for
priests to serve as pastors in the rapidly growing Church in
America, Catholics' ambivalence toward the war itself, especially
regarding the slavery issue, and many Protestant officers' refusal
to allow Catholic priests to serve their regiments.

While religious order clergy, including the Congregation of Holy
Cross and the Jesuits, provided some spiritual care, few diocesan
priests served as chaplains, often because bishops did not view the
chaplaincy as a priority. A notable exception, Archbishop John B.
Purcell of Cincinnati (1800-1883), strongly favored the Federal
cause. Within his archdiocese, located near the border between
North and South, significant sympathy existed for the Confederacy
in Cincinnati with its diverse population, and the assignment of
chaplains may have been unpopular. Still, Purcell supplied two
full-time priest chaplains, one of whom, Rev. William T. O'Higgins
(1829-1874), an Irish-born "refugee" priest, had arrived in America
four years prior to the start of the war.

O'Higgins' life and ministry has never been well documented.
Aidan Henry Germain's Catholic Military and Naval
Chaplains (1929) contains less than a half-page of
biography. Significant biographical compilations of Union chaplains
provide barely a mention. Even David Power Conyngham's manuscript
"Soldiers of the Cross" omits him in favor of telling the stories
of more prominent priest chaplains. The following account of
O'Higgins' life, based on his war-time letters and print and
manuscript sources, opens a window into the remarkable experiences
of a missionary, pastor, and army chaplain.

Early Years

William T. Higgins (later O'Higgins) was born in June of 1829
near the border of counties Leitrim and Longford, Ireland, perhaps
in Lurga, near Mohill (Leitrim) or Drumlish (Longford). His parents
are believed to be Patrick and Rose (Brannan) Higgins. William
apparently changed his family name at birth, Higgins, to that of
his uncle, Bishop William O'Higgins (1793-1853), Catholic bishop of
Ardagh and Clonmacnois. The bishop himself added the "O" to his
surname after 1832—a nod to the royal branch of the family. At age
eighteen, the younger William began studies for the priesthood at
the Royal College of St. Patrick's at Maynooth, County Kildare,
where his uncle had once taught. But Bishop O'Higgins died on
January 3, 1853, leaving the young seminarian bereft of his
protector and patron. William did not perhaps enjoy the favor of
his uncle's successor.

Within a few months, Bishop John Thomas Hynes, O.P. (1799-1869),
vicar apostolic of British Guiana, recruited O'Higgins for
missionary work in the West Indies. The latter along with other
recruits arrived at Demerara, British Guiana, on August 8, 1853.
Though O'Higgins had not yet completed studies for the priesthood,
Hynes desperately needed priests for his mission territory. Within
the span of three days O'Higgins received a "plentitude" of holy
orders: subdeaconate on August 13, deaconate on August 14, and
priesthood on August 15.

Ministry in British Guiana proved difficult. Clergy misconduct,
especially alcoholism, communicable diseases, and difficulties of
language and culture, stunted the Church's growth. Bishop Hynes
looked for a way out, and in 1856 the Jesuits accepted direction of
ministry in the British colony. In December, Hynes began to grant
official, church-sanctioned exeats (literally "he may
leave") to his diocesan priests, leaving O'Higgins to consider his
next move.

O'Higgins departed Demerara for the United States, arriving in
Philadelphia on May 23, 1857. Though he left British Guiana without
securing sponsorship of a bishop in the United States, O'Higgins
quickly penned a note to Archbishop Purcell of Cincinnati on the
day after his arrival in Philadelphia offering his services. Within
the week, O'Higgins received a letter from Purcell offering him
a...

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